WPMU DEV Hosting Review: A Comprehensive Look at Performance, Features, and Support

WPMU Dev Hosting Review

In the ever-expanding universe of WordPress solutions, WPMU DEV has carved out a name for itself by offering a plethora of tools and plugins to enhance the performance and management of WordPress sites.

But with the evolution of their services, WPMU DEV has embraced a new frontier—fully managed hosting. In this WPMU DEV hosting review, we delve deep to discover whether this hosting platform is the game-changer your WordPress site needs in 2023.

WPMU DEV: A Brief Introduction

WPMU Dev Hosting

WPMU DEV is part of Incsub—the parent company behind other WordPress stalwarts like CampusPress and Edublogs—securely positioning itself as an experienced player in the digital arena. What makes WPMU DEV stand out is its hands-on approach to providing an integrated ecosystem for websites, boasting a selection of premium services, themes, and plugins. Aimed at freelancers, agencies, and entrepreneurs, their hosting packages promise dedicated resources and top-tier performance.

Here’s what you will find in WPMU Dev hosting plans:

  • Location Flexibility: Choose from a diverse selection of 18 data center locations for hosting your site, with options including various regions in the United States (both east and west coast), the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, among others to optimize for your target audience.
  • Enhanced Security: Benefit from robust security measures with WPMU DEV’s in-house services like Defender and Automate that offer file scanning, an advanced firewall, and the added security of two-factor authentication.
  • Optimized Speed: Experience lightning-fast hosting thanks to the integration of WPMU DEV’s wide array of services and tools, such as object and page caching, alongside the latest in technology with IPv6 and CDN (Content Delivery Network) support.
  • Reliable Backups: Gain peace of mind with automatic incremental nightly backups and the convenience of a one-click restore feature to safeguard your site’s data.
  • Effortless Staging: Take advantage of a dedicated staging environment to test and modify your site before pushing changes live with the simple click of a button.
  • Seamless Migration: Transition your site smoothly to WPMU DEV hosting using the platform’s automated migration tools, or have the support team conduct the migration for you at no extra charge.
  • Complimentary SSL Certificate: Secure your hosted sites out-of-the-box with a free SSL certificate provided through Let’s Encrypt, ensuring visitors’ connections to your site are encrypted.

But are they the right fit for you? Let’s find out.

The Hosting Experience with WPMU DEV

Choosing the right WordPress hosting service can hugely impact site performance—and ultimately, your bottom line. WPMU DEV is offering a fully managed VPS hosting solution that promises to elevate your website’s performance by providing isolated resources for each website. But what do these promises translate to in real-world applications? We put WPMU DEV to the test using industry-standard tools like Pingdom and K6 to monitor performance metrics that matter.

Testing the Performance

Our Pingdom tests returned varying load times, heavily influenced by the location of the test servers. Load times are indeed crucial, but WPMU DEV’s feature that allows you to choose a server location tailored to your target audience means you can minimize these disparities. For more globally balanced performance, setting up a CDN with WPMU DEV could be beneficial.

We initiated our website’s performance evaluation using five diverse Pingdom test servers located around the world. The loading speeds for our sample website from each location were as follows:

  • Washington D.C.: 0.677 seconds
  • San Francisco: 1.01 seconds
  • London: 0.241 seconds
  • Sydney: 1.98 seconds
  • Tokyo: 1.64 seconds

These figures reflect tests conducted with the default Twenty Twenty theme of WordPress.

Observing the data, it’s evident that while the website loads reasonably quickly, the loading times demonstrate significant variation in relation to the geographical position of each server.

K6 test on WPMU Dev hosting

Our second evaluation involved conducting a load impact assessment, which entails emulating the behavior of 25 concurrent visitors on your website over a span of three minutes to observe any fluctuations in load times. The outcomes were quite remarkable.

In our WPMU DEV Hosting Load Impact Review, it’s evident that even though there was a minor increase in response time (depicted by the blue line), the scenario with 24 virtual users active on the site (indicated by the green line) resulted in a load time of merely 348 milliseconds.

Hence, if your venture involves running a modest-sized blog or commercial site on WPMU DEV hosting, you can be confident that increases in visitor traffic will not compromise your website’s load times.

Seamless Integration and User Experience

Managing multiple sites using WPMU Dev client hub

True to its ethos, WPMU DEV doesn’t just stop at hosting. It extends its interface—aptly named the Hub—for a comprehensive management experience. From site setup to activating various plugins and monitoring analytics, the Hub centralizes all operations in a user-friendly dashboard.

The question remains: does this integrated approach truly streamline the process for users from various backgrounds? Our experiences suggest a resounding yes; the processes are streamlined, and even WordPress novices can navigate the interface with ease.

Complementing Your Site with Pre-installed Tools

Upon setup, your WordPress dashboard will greet you with pre-installed WPMU DEV plugins, spanning across essential categories like security, optimization, and marketing. This preemptive measure ensures you’re equipped to tackle various aspects of site management right from the start, potentially saving valuable time and effort.

Support: WPMU DEV’s Safety Net

Live chat support for WP MU Dev customers

Beyond infrastructure and user interfaces, the soul of a hosting service often lies in its support system. WPMU DEV’s customer support includes not just a vast knowledge base but also dedicated support channels. Available membership packages provide various levels of access to these resources, allowing you to tailor your support experience to your specific needs.

Pricing and Plans

WPMU Dev hosting plans

WPMU DEV offers a variety of membership options tailored to different needs.

  • Agency Membership: For $33 monthly (Black Friday Cyber Monday deal only), enjoy the privilege of using all WPMU DEV services and plugins across an unlimited number of websites. Additionally, this plan includes a $144 credit that can be applied to any hosting package.
  • Freelancer Membership: At a cost of $13 every month, this package allows the management of up to 10 websites and provides full access to the complete suite of plugins.
  • Standard Membership: Priced at $5 per month, this option permits the setup of up to 3 websites while granting unrestricted access to all available plugins.
  • Basic Membership: For an economical $3 monthly fee, this plan enables you to establish a single website and also ensures access to the full range of WPMU DEV plugins.

WPMU DEV acknowledges the diverse needs of WordPress sites by offering nine distinct hosting plans, each with varied resources and options.

WPMU dev hosting pricing

Whether you manage a single site or a sprawling network, there’s likely a plan to match your requirements. A 30-day free trial sweetens the deal, granting you the freedom to evaluate their services without initial financial commitment.

WPMU DEV versus The Competition

While WPMU DEV’s all-in-one model presents a compelling proposition, it’s not without alternatives in the market. If you find yourself still on the fence, exploring other managed WordPress hosting services, such as those boasting lower price tags but still robust offerings, could be a beneficial exercise.

Final Thoughts: Is WPMU DEV the Right Choice for Your Website?

The hosting world is a battleground of promises, and WPMU DEV certainly makes some bold ones. With impressive performance test results, a user-friendly management dashboard, an array of plugins, and unwavering support, WPMU DEV positions itself as a premium, all-encompassing WordPress hosting solution.

Sites ranging from small blogs to business behemoths could find a home with WPMU DEV, assuming the pricing aligns with their budget. And with the option to trial the service free for 30 days, making an informed decision has never been easier.

We hope this deep dive gives you clarity on whether WPMU DEV is the hosting hero your WordPress site has been waiting for. Remember, the digital landscape is always evolving—stay informed, choose wisely, and may your site’s performance soar.

Is WPMU DEV the right hosting service for your WordPress site? Let us know your thoughts, questions, or experiences in the comments below. And for those still seeking, continue your journey with our collection of the best managed WordPress hosting services available today.

Have more inquiries regarding WPMU DEV? Whether it’s their legitimacy, offerings, or comparisons with other hosting providers, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your perfect hosting match awaits—and we’re here to help you find it.